So, the lovely people of Julep are kicking off their Winterize Your Nails Campaign and invited me to talk about my best tips winterize nails for the fall and winter seasons. As I read this email on the first cold day in the South, I looked down at my own nails and noticed that mine could use a little TLC. With that being said, I want to give you 3 tips to keeps your nails in check during these drier months.

1. Moisture

And to think I bought this out of desperation…good stuff!!

The drier colder air brings about dry, chapped skin. This along with drying soaps and cleansers makes for a Sahara situation on your hands. To combat this, you’ll want to invest in a heavy hand cream. I’m using Nivea Extended Moisture Hand Cream. I bought it in a pinch but I actually really like it. I’ve been using it morning, night, and after I wash my hands. This step is a very important step but it’s not nearly as effective without my next tip…

2. Cuticle Care

Cuticles…one small strip of skin that can become a heap of trouble if left alone or improperly handled. This has been my pitfall and after researching, this tip has been the most helpful. If you’re like me, then you already know that cuticle mismanagement makes the best manicure look awful…Aw-ful..even on the first day.

On manicure day I’d recommend using a cuticle removal solution. I’m using Gene Cuticle Off remover from Sally’s. I placed it on my cuticle and let it sit for 1 minute and rinsed it off in warm water. From there I pushed my cuticles back. I then use my nippers for hangnails; trimming cuticles too much actually cause the skin to further thicken so keep that to a minimum. After trimming I coat them in an oil and wash my hands (I used olive oil but you can you whatever you like).

To maintain your newly grooms cuticles, be consistent with Tip #1.

Has your cuticle already split? Don’t clip this down! Instead clean the cut and place a drop of nail glue in the split. This will allow the cut to heal while your nails are still painted. The glue will not wash out and it will fall out as your skin rejoins.

3. Color

Ok…the fun part! So to paint my nails I use 4 steps. The first thing I do is cleanse my nails; I’m using Formula X for Sephora nail cleanser but just washing your hands your wiping your nails with alcohol would work as well. I put layer of base coat, 2 coats of my fall color of choice (I’m using Bus Stop Crimson by Orly…can I get a Roll Tide? lol) and a top coat. Fall is also a great time to play with cool top coat effects like a matte top coat. I used Formula X for Sephora Effects Top Coat in Mind over Matter; I bought this last year and my only qualm is that the effect seems to wear off.

Cleanse, Base, Color, and Top Coat

Here’s how mine turned out…not too bad!

Needs some ideas on fall color choices? Julep has put together a great winter collection here! I’m adding Alma and Emille to my wish list as-I-type.

Here’s a few swatches of Julep’s Fall/Winter collection

Here are my 2 faves..

I hope this short and sweet list helps you in the colder months! If you need a full at-home manicure tutorial Julep has a great one below! I don’t have the exact products they list on hand but this follows my basic routine.

I’ve wanted this palette since it first came out but in an effort curb my impulse-buys I held off. But this past Monday I was off work and decided to take the plunge (I bought Becca highlight in Opal that day also…we’ll talk more about it at a later day ;-)). After getting back home I had to go to the dentist so the last thing I wanted to do was experiment with makeup. so I figured one night after work I’d get a chance to try it out…iSlaved this week! Between working like crazy and working out in the evenings time just got away from me! But that may not be such a bad thing, because now I’m able to share my new-product-fun with you guys!

For my first impressions I’m in love with this palette! In making my swatches I’m just so excited to start using it for day and night time looks. I also like that despite my concerns in the store, there’s a good mix of mattes, sheens, and shimmers. The only qualm I have is they had a little fallout in swatching; that’s not a huge deal though.

Ok so this is it; it comes with the double-sided brush in the bottom tray and a zippered pouch. It organized so that each vertical row goes together for one complete eye look but of course you be creative with it. Let’s start swatching!

From right to left: Truth, Undone, Downfall, DTF

Dragon, Freeze, Heroine, Brokedown

Vanity, Lucky, Reign, Bobby Dazzle

Alien, Alchemy, Bondage, Sonic

Last Sin, Angel, Defy, Revolver

Ok, so I don’t have a favorite as of late…because I love them all…but I will say that DTF, Dragon, Heroine, Alchemy, and Last Sin jump out at me. If you follow me on Instagram (@BeAmazingB), you already know selfies are about to be in full effect, lol. If you’re not, then I you should be!

If you’ve been on the fence about this I hope seeing the colors up close & personal helps you make your decision on it. If you already have it, share your looks with me! What’s your favorite color on first impression? Let me know in a comment below!!

One of my favorite types of blogs/vlogs to read/watch are favorite videos. So, I figured, I should make them too! The things that I discovered this month are more new-to-me than new (no judgies). So let’s get into it!

Up & Up Eye Makeup Remover

This seems simple enough, but I was honestly surprised on how effective this product was…especially for the price! It has a dual liquid formula that you shake up prior to using. It removes my makeup without over-greasing my eye area. And for about $2, you can’t beat that!

NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

This has been a staple of online makeup gurus since…forever and for some reason I’m just trying it! I love using it underneath eyeshadow to make it pop. I also love how it wears in my lower lash line. What really makes it so great is it’s creamy, soft formula; it takes very little pressure to get great color payoff.

Lancome Blush Subtil Shimmer in Satin Copper

I’ve had this for a while but every fall I pull this back out and fall more in love it. It’s super-pigmented, and it leaves a great sheen (not really a shimmer) on your cheeks. I can apply it lightly and wear some great fall lipstick or wear it a little heavier when I’m not wearing much of anything else. And for it to be a little more expensive, it lasts.

Bath & Body Works in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin

I was SO shocked that I liked this. I usually don’t like things that smell like food for my body…but this has a spiced smell that just works. It smells warm and inviting….very fall-like.

ELF Angled Brush

I use this brush literally every day. I use this with my brow pomade and it gets the job done. Its stiff, which is great for then I’m lining my brows but also does a good job once I’m filling everything in and “un-perfecting” my inner brows. It were to disappear I’d have a mini fall-apart.

We’re getting close to Halloween! If you don’t have a costume and you don’t want to invest too much into a costume you’ll only wear once…I’ve got an idea for you! This comic book tutorial is great because you can use what you have on hand for the most part. Let’s get started!

First things first, let’s perfect our canvas. For foundation I’m using Revlon Nearly Naked with my Sephora brand “beauty blender”. I then concealed my under-eye area using Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium using the same sponge. Use whatever you have on hand, but dry to stay on the matte side as we’re trying to flatten our face. To further mattify, take a powder and press it into your skin.

No Shine Zone, lol

I started on the my eyes first, specifically my eyebrows. I used an eyeliner (I used the Maybelline eyeliner pen) to outline my exaggerated brows. I then took my black face paint and filled them in. I found both my black and white face paints at Target for $1.00. I then based my eyelid with Nyx Jumbo Pencil in Milk and decided to go with a blue eyeshadow (Lancome “All Made Up”); any bright color will work, that’s just what I had on hand. I packed the color on my lid; to clean it up I look a little more product on a fluffy brush and brought the color above my crease area. I then added an exaggerated wing.

Not the brows to wear to work, but remember we’re going for something more animated than the norm!

Using my black paint, the tip of a foundation brush, and the eyeliner I used earlier, I “contoured” my face. You can take this as far as you’d like; take into consideration the demeanor you want your character to have (cute-sy, sad, etc.) when decided what expressions line to add. I wanted her to more on the cute-sy side :-). Also with your lines, remember it’ll be much easier to add more expression than to remove them, so you may want to add less lines and then after adding your dots, add more expression lines.

Next we’ll start the dots. You can use a pencil or paint for this; I used paint because I like the brighter look of paint dots. And you don’t have to use white for your dots, that’s just what I thought would look good on me. Using the end of a eye brush, start making your dots. I would advise working in small sections horizontally on your face. This part takes the longest and the more patient you are with it, the better it will turn out. You can also extend your dots down your neck, if you’d like (depending on what you’re wearing). After finishing my dots, I went over my expression lines to make sure they still stood out and weren’t covered with dots.

Definitely play with the the dot size you like; this will not only be determined by the brush end you pick, but also the pressure that you apply while dotting.

We’re almost finished! For a look this animated you need lashes. I’m using the Ardell Glamour Wispies lashes. I applied them using Duo glue. I then added mascara to help blend my lashes with the falsies. I lined my bottom lash line with my NYX Milk pencil and took my eyeliner and lined below the white line I just made. This will make your eyes look larger and more animated once we’re finished. I then covered my lower lashes with mascara.

Time for lips! Take a bright color (I used Maybelline Hot Plum) and apply it to your lips. I look my eyeliner and lined my lips, coloring the corners of my lips with the black eyeliner. I took a q-tip in my white paint and added a little shine mark on my bottom (my favorite part, hehe).

So after giving some thought about my little home here on the internet, I noticed that you all don’t know very much about me! I just opened up shop and starting talking about hair and makeup, lol. So I thought it would be fitting to answer some questions for you guys. If you think of some others that you want to know (not too personal, of course), just let me know in a comment below! Lets go…

Do you have a middle name?

Yes I do, it’s Rochelle

What was your favorite subject in school?

I was a psychology major so those subjects were my favorite

What’s your favorite drink?

I LOVE tea, especially anything with a mint flavor.

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

XO by Beyonce

What would you name your children?

If I had a girl, Henley or Hayden, for a boy, Kayden or Tristan

Do you participate in sports?

As of late, no sports for me. In high school I did dance team. But I love watching college football and pro basketball.

What’s your favorite book?

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

What’s your favorite color?

Pink

What’s your favorite perfume?

It’s a tie between Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue and Gucci Premiere

What’s your favorite animal?

Elephants…they’re huge but still graceful

What’s your favorite holiday?

Christimas…it immediately puts everyone in a joyous space

Have you graduated from high school?

Yes! College too

Have you every been out of the country?

No, but one my dreams is to travel the world?

Do you speak any other languages?

Nope…I wouldn’t mind learning though!

Do you have any siblings?

Yes!

What’s your favorite store?

Target.. I can spend all day in there and I can always find something I “need” lol.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

Pappadeaux…it’s SO good!

Do you like school?

I like school… love to learn!

Who are some of your favorite YouTubers?

I like Rositaapplebum and LusterLux…I can YouTube binge on them all day, lol.

How is everyone? I feel like I haven’t been on here since ’95! All jokes aside I want to thank those of you that are still sticking around. I’ve had a few transitions in my personal life which left me feeling a little unmotivated as far as beauty and makeup. And I’m sorry for that. When situations that you cannot control, it’s important to remember what you can control: your priorities, your values, sharing what you have to bring to the table, etc. That process is a transition of itself :-). I’ll share some more in posts to come, I just wanted to let you where I’ve been.

But I’m looking forward to sharing some fun fall things with you guys; fall is actually my FAVORITE season. Food, makeup, clothes, weather…everything, lol. Let me know what kinds of looks you want to see or what kinds of things you want me to look into!

So let’s get started!

XOXO

Brittani

]]>https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/catching-up/feed/0beamazingbrittaniIMG_0075Liebster Award!https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/liebster-award/
https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/liebster-award/#commentsThu, 04 Sep 2014 15:00:47 +0000http://beamazingb.wordpress.com/?p=165]]>Hello lovlies! So I was nominated for a Liebster Award by mariamuekalia!! Thank you so so much for nominating me! If you haven’t checked out her blog, click her name and take a look!

Ok, so before I get started, here are the rules:

You must link back to the person who nominated you.

You must answer the 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.

You must list 11 random/fun facts about yourself.

You must pick 11 nominees with under 200 followers to answer your questions.

You cannot nominate the person who nominate you.

You must let the people you nominate know they have been nominated.

Now that I’ve got that squared away, here are the questions I was given:

what is your favorite makeup tip? My favorite tip would be using a brightening pencil in your waterline to make you look for refreshed and awake.

who is your favorite beauty blogger? MakeupbyTiffanyD….she’s one of the first I started watching on YouTube years ago and I’m still obsessed with her.

what got you into beauty? I’ve always loved the way women looked with beautiful makeup and was naturally pulled into the beauty aisle of any store (nothing’s changed). I didn’t start wearing “real makeup” until I got into college. I didn’t want to look like “too much” so I started watching YouTube videos to find some techniques.

who inspires you to “just keep swimming”? My faith in God keeps me going. I know that He has great plans for me (Jer. 29:11); I definitely want to experience those plans so I have to keep going!

Jeans or skirts? Jeans

sandals or flats? Sandals

what is your favorite beauty product? This one’s hard! And changes often! Right now it’s probably Anastasia Dip Brow pomade in Dark Brown

eyeliner or mascara? Mascara

whats your favorite makeup brand? MAC

whats your favorite naked palette? Naked 3…I LOVE that it has neutrals included

what is your makeup goal for 2015? I want to start making videos!

11 Fun Facts of Me:

I’m an Apple junkie.

My must-have makeup product is mascara.

I love cereal.

My favorite season is Fall.

I sleep best in my room being as dark as possible and no sound.

I’m so picky about how I like my eggs cooks that I just tell people I don’t like them at all.

So today I’ll be sharing my thoughts on a product I bought a few weeks ago, Maybelline Pure Dream BB Cream. I bought it because I wanted something I could wear on down days with a little coverage but wouldn’t further aggravate my skin.

Here’s what it claims:

Clears acne

Conceals imperfections

Minimizes look of pores

Reduces appearance of redness

Adjusts to skin tone

Hydrates and soothes

Enhances and clarifies

0% Oils and lightweight feelHere’s how these stacked up for me in reality:

Clears acne- Over the past few weeks of wearing this at least 3 times a week I have noticed that my skin has calmed down as far as breakouts. I would describe my skin as normal/dry with hormonal breakouts (chin and sometimes jaw line about a week before the Aunt comes to visit). My skin isn’t perfect; I still break out on my chin. But instead of it being HUGE its much smaller and heals quicker.

Conceals imperfections- Maybe if you have minimal imperfections this will be true, but honestly it doesn’t completely conceal my imperfections. With it’s sheer coverage I could still see some of my acne scarring. This was a claim I didn’t have too much faith in to begin with.

Minimizes look of pores- Unfortunately I don’t have naturally large pores so I can’t you with this one.

Reduces appearance of redness- If dealing with more severe redness this may not work, but for my main issue of redness (acne) this definitely works.

Adjusts to skin tone- Also true. I bought this in medium-dark tint, and before, during and after my beach trip is was able to adjust to match.

Hydrates and soothes- Despite this product containing salicylic acid, it leaves my skin hydrated but not to the point of being dewy

Enhances and clarifies- Not really sure about this claim (a little vague) but my skin quality has improved since using it…

0% Oils and lightweight feel- Its has the consistency of a tinted moisturizer so because of it’s lack of coverage, it’s lightweight on the face

My skin is normal-to-dry, with a habit if breaking out hormonally. I’ve never used a BB cream before, and overall I’m happy with this one. My expectations overall were met with the product. This almost makes me want to update my 5 Minute Face routine…as you can guess this booted out the concealer/powder routine almost immediately. Any type of liquid is typically a Go for me.

I hope this helps you guys out!

XOXO

Brittani

]]>https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/maybelline-pure-dream-bb-cream/feed/3beamazingbrittaniIMG_0964Late Summer Vaca!https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/late-summer-vaca/
https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/late-summer-vaca/#respondTue, 19 Aug 2014 00:18:57 +0000http://beamazingb.wordpress.com/?p=157]]>This past week I was on vacation in Sunny Destin, Florida…had an AMAZING time but I’m back and will be back on our regular scheduled programing this Thursday. I haven’t put many pics up yet, but in the next fews days I’ll start posting on Instragram. Much love!]]>https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/late-summer-vaca/feed/0beamazingbrittaniLate Summer Beauty Goodies!!https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/late-summer-beauty-goodies/
https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/late-summer-beauty-goodies/#respondThu, 07 Aug 2014 22:20:43 +0000http://beamazingb.wordpress.com/?p=148]]>Hey Girlies,

I was out of a few things and looking to try some others so I took a couple trips to Ulta (yay!). My first trip was and was not successful. My main goal was to get a good contour powder and Urban Decay Perversion mascara. A makeup rep tried a great powder that I liked but the color I needed was out of stock…and this location was out of Perversion :-(. However, on this trip I did manage to pick up a couple things.

If you remember in my last post I told you guys that I’m not too crazy about the brow pencil I had from Cover Girl and that I picked up Anastasia Dip Brow pomade. I also bought Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream. I’m going to the beach next week and wanted to try something I could wear out without having that “made up” look during the day. I’ve been wearing it but I’ll save a review for another day.

Ok so I went to another Ulta and hit the jackpot! Not only did they have the contour powder, but Pur Minerals had a buy one get one free sale on their face products! So for contour I grabbed Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Powder in Deeper and chose their Dark Spot Corrector for my freebie. I also bought their Hydrate and Set Spray and a contour brush. The last thing I got was the Perversion mascara. I want to do review the Pur Minerals products just because its a new brand to me and maybe I can help you girls out if its new to you as well. Ulta gave them good reviews though.

This is Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Powder in Deeper. I’m planning to use it as a contour powder.

This was my freebie :-). The Pur Minerals Correcting Primer. It claims to help blur redness, scars, darkspots, etc.

This is the Pur Minerals Hydrate & Set Mist. It can actually be used after the shower as well as after your makeup!

Urban Decay’s Perversion with the Subversion Primer

Check out my Instagram (@BeAmazingB) if you want to see how I’m using and liking my new goodies. Have you tried any of these products? What did you think about them? Let me know in a comment below!

XOXO

Brittani

]]>https://beamazingb.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/late-summer-beauty-goodies/feed/0beamazingbrittaniSummer HaulThis is Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Powder in Deeper. I'm planning to use it as a contour powder.This was my freebie :-). The Pur Minerals Correcting Primer. It claims to help blur redness, scars, darkspots, etc.This is the Pur Minerals Hydrate & Set Mist. It can actually be used after the shower as well as after your makeup!Urban Decay's Perversion with the Subversion Primer